The issue of pediatric pain management caunot he fully addressed without also emphasi~ng the role of pain assessment. If assessment is not accurate and systema&, pain management will not be appropriate. Recent research reports indicate that pediatric pain m~a~ment with analgesics is inadequate, 1-s Analgesics are given inf~ueutly, sporadically, and in nontherapeuw@M ~~ to: ~u~th E, Beyer, PhI3, University of cataaado Health sciences Center, 8ehool of Nursing, Box cP88,4%lO East Ninth Avenue, Den-: May 11,199O. Relief' committee, 1990 f'ddidd by Fhevier, New York, New York tic doses to children. Nonopioid analgesics are often substituted for opioids, and prescriptions are often discontinued soon after surgery. In addition, many children are found to have received no analgesics after major surgery.
U.S. (Zarirxr Fain
Research to clarify pain assessment in children is vitally needed to ensure that pain relief for the child is rely and effective. A sound understanding of pediatric pain assessment techniques is also essential to assist in the identification of patterns of pain responses in children of different ages and with diffe~l~t types of noxious stimuli.
Clinical pain is a complex phenomenon that, at times, is extreinely difficult to measure, particularly when the individual with pain is a